Just installed Sick Bike Parts SHIFTELECTRIKIT 48V

[professorcake]

Think it might be a little bent...

 

[professorcake]

Nice build, and I wasn't aware that SBP was selling electric kits now... The last time I dealt with them was 2009, and they were a pleasure to work with as I recall.

The complete kit for $329?? That's pretty cheap, and I wish I had known then what I was getting into with my build... I used SBP components and some custom stuff, and ended up spending well over 700 at the time... as well as countless hours of cussing and re-adjusting the thing.

I'm glad to hear your build will do 30-ish. I've found that's a comfortable top speed for me on the road, and it's not always easy to achieve with a hub kit unless you want to spend a little extra. I like the ability to shift too, as I find it gives me a better range of control. Hub motor advocates might say that hub motors can be reconfigured for any speed range, you just have to think ahead and buy the right winding. I find this to be a bit like the manual vs automatic argument. Yes I could get an automatic, and driving would be easier... but there is something about a manual and clutch that I just like.

As to your skipping issue, if you're still having it, I'd check the vertical chain alignment. You mentioned you were getting skips on the smallest sprocket? I found over NUMEROUS teardown/readjustments of my build that if your crank-to-cassette chain ring alignment is off, you'll have this issue. You have to make sure that crank sprocket is dead-center on the cassette when viewed from above. You can't adjust the cassette very easily, but you can shim the SBP chain ring fairly easily I've found. The chain ring can also be adjusted by using different length bottom bracket spindles. You just kinda have to play with it until that alignment is optimized... see the graphic below. I didn't ever really get skips again after I had this adjusted properly.

Thanks for the advice. Looks like the Shiftelectric 48v kit has an even lower price now then when i purchased it. Seems like a pretty good value @ $329, i am very pleased with mine. I am in agreement, manual + clutch for the win! I think a bit of shimming of the SBP chainring is in order to solve my occasional skip issue. Definitely have had several teardown/readjustements on this bike but not for anything major just fine tuning, I feel like I am finally at the point where I can trust the bike/build now that it is mostly sorted out. My confidence is going up and so is the risk a bit, hence the bent wheel...

 

[dequinox]

Think it might be a little bent...

:lol: Sorry about your wheel, I've been there... well sort of... broken spokes and all. Go double-wall, as in buy a decent wheel. There are $40-50 wheels, then there are $150 wheels. After busting a bunch of spokes on the former, I chose to buy the latter. I suspect you are doing this on trails though... mine's just a commuter.

 

[Voltron]

Just an fyi on the chain skip, its not cheap but the new Shimano derailleurs have a switch that puts super spring tension keeping the cage pulled back...then you can switch it off for taking the wheel out. They developed it for the Bosch drives to help with the low wrap they have on the driver sprockets.

 

[professorcake]

Think it might be a little bent...

:lol: Sorry about your wheel, I've been there... well sort of... broken spokes and all. Go double-wall, as in buy a decent wheel. There are $40-50 wheels, then there are $150 wheels. After busting a bunch of spokes on the former, I chose to buy the latter. I suspect you are doing this on trails though... mine's just a commuter.

haha yea I should probably invest in a decent wheel. My local bike shop kinda gave me the bike shop snob routine today. Told them about my bike and how I ride it and they quoted $90 for a similar wheel, $125+ for something better. Then immediately suggested I "sell my bike for $300 and buy this $1100 trek". Then continued to lecture me on how ebikes are illegal on official trails because they put too much wear on the tracks. Thanks but not thanks I have no intention of selling my bike, way too much fun... especially at that price. I mean I know the bike itself is nothing special bike but really?

 

[professorcake]

Just an fyi on the chain skip, its not cheap but the new Shimano derailleurs have a switch that puts super spring tension keeping the cage pulled back...then you can switch it off for taking the wheel out. They developed it for the Bosch drives to help with the low wrap they have on the driver sprockets.

Sounds perfect for an ebike, $$$ will probably limit me as I already owe $100 to a decent wheel lol.

 

[Voltron]

If you're in a DIY mood, replacing a bent rim is pretty easy and cheap, as long as the spokes aren't too mangled.

You just need to get a matching rim, I.e. double or single wall and the right amount of spoke holes.

Then you just get the spokes nice and loose but not undone, and tape the new rim onto the bent one with the valve hole in the right place.

Then start undoing one spoke at a time and moving it to the new rim. You don't have to undo the lacing pattern, and it's mechanical enough to do it watching tv or something, a long as you don't go dropping the nipples.
View attachment 3
I just did this wheel tonight actually...which it's why I was thinking of it. Halfway done..


Last one...that took about 40 minutes of basic unscrewing and rescrewing

View attachment 1

Usually I get the nipples screwed on to where it just hides the threads on the spokes all the way around for starters, and if you don't have a truing stand or you're not good at it, taking it to a bike shop at this point to finish is pretty quick to put a final truing on.

And if you can swing bringing it home from work on your electric cargo bike to make extra money while you watch tv that's a plus too

The pictures got out of order and it was too hard to fix..

 

[markz]

So if the brand name companies were using this motor, then is this better then the Bafang BBS02?

 

[dequinox]

haha yea I should probably invest in a decent wheel. My local bike shop kinda gave me the bike shop snob routine today. Told them about my bike and how I ride it and they quoted $90 for a similar wheel, $125+ for something better. Then immediately suggested I "sell my bike for $300 and buy this $1100 trek". Then continued to lecture me on how ebikes are illegal on official trails because they put too much wear on the tracks. Thanks but not thanks I have no intention of selling my bike, way too much fun... especially at that price. I mean I know the bike itself is nothing special bike but really?

Wow, that salesperson can be officially filed under "douche". I got my nice rear wheel at REI, and they didn't give me any crap about having an ebike. I did pay upwards of $130 as I recall, but it hasn't skipped a beat under all the punishment I've given it. Have you checked your state/local laws about ebike use on the trails? I am not certain but I am almost betting he's wrong about that. I am not sure in what part of the country you're riding, but there are definitely some states that are more strict than others.

 

[dequinox]

Just another alert on this kit for anyone considering it, but leery of the lack of an HD freewheel. Jim at sickbikeparts told me that the standard freewheel has two bearing races to handle the 180° separation of the motor chain and the bike chain putting a moment on the front freewheel, but that the HD front freewheel only has one.

I contacted both SBP and White Industries, and SBP has put in an order for a 2 bearing HD front freewheel. We should see the stock show up on the website in a month or two according to both companies.

48v electric shift kit
HD Freewheel, single bearing
Standard Freewheel, double-bearing

 

[professorcake]

Resurrecting this thread as I have rode this bike/kit a bunch and I am in the process of an rebuild/upgrade.

OK so as the previous post predicted, the stock crank freewheel failed. It failed when I was pushing down hard on the pedal from a standing position, i bet the pawls failed. Fortunately I was able to make it to my destination a few miles away on motor power alone. Then I ordered an upgraded freewheel from sickbikeparts, installed it and adjusted/improved the chain alignment between the motor and crank chainring.

Next I decided to go single speed. I realized I use one of the rear middle gears (20t i think) about 90% of the time and I thought reduced mechanical complexity and reduced weight would be nice. I purchased a Forte SS kit that came with 16,18, and 20t gears, some spacers, and a spring loaded tensioner. Then my limited bike knowledge/experience bit me in the ass as I realized that my bike features a freewheel, NOT a cassette. Figured this would be a good time to upgrade so I purchased a rear wheel with a cassette from my LBS and from there installation of the Forte SS kit was easy. I installed the 20t gear from the kit and think it will be perfect but its nice to have the 16t/18t gears if I want to switch it up. I spent some more time (a frustratingly long time actually) aligning the chain and getting it to the correct length. The forte kit tensioner is simple but really seems to work well.

The crappy stock tires that came with the bike are pretty worn at this point so they came off, and I will have to wait another agonizing day for a pair of Serfas Drifters to come in the mail. I ride probably 80%+ on paved/asphalt surfaces but I still want to be able to hit some light trails so I thought these would do well.

All in all I am pleased with the SickBikeParts Shiftelectric Kit, the motor still pulls plenty strong and aside from the freewheel it has been pretty durable with light-moderate use pushing my 220lb butt around. I think these changes are going to be awesome for me, cant wait to ride!

It looks so akward/ugly without tires on it so I will post up some pictures this weekend of my overhauled ebike.

 

[markz]

Can you link us the item that failed and the item you purchased from SBP.

 

[professorcake]

http://sickbikeparts.com/front-freewheel/ failed

http://sickbikeparts.com/front-freewheel-cyclone/ replacement

 

[markz]

http://sickbikeparts.com/front-freewheel/ failed

http://sickbikeparts.com/front-freewheel-cyclone/ replacement

Muchos Gracias
You saved me a future headache.

 

[professorcake]

Glad I could help, just be aware that there are two more HD freewheels available from SBP. I chose the most affordable upgrade from the base model at $45, the others I think are $80 and $120.

 

[professorcake]

Successful shakedown run today! These tires are great and performed awesome on paved roads and good on hard packed dirt roads.

 

[dequinox]

Hey glad to see you back in operation! Single speed with a shift kit??



Lol it still looks great, and I'm glad you made it thru the freewheel crank failure. I think I had a grand total of three of those before I finally sprang for the better hd freewheel.

The kits very compact, and non-assuming... how is that single speed doing with the motor? Do you get enough range in speed to where you can start from standstill, but still get a decent top end?